Car-signal.



PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

P H. BNSIGN.

GAR SIGNA L.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 20.1904,

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mew 5 Gfmum w 1N0, 79mm. PATENTED AUGE 15, 1905 H. msmm.

(mm smmL, APPLICATION FILED QEPT. 20,1904.

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No 797,187. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.. F, I-L ENSIGN GAR SIGNAL.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 20.190 2.

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\UUUUUUUUUUUUH aye FREDRIU H. ENSliG-N, OF LOB ANG-ELES, CALIFORNIA.

WAR-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Aug. 15, 1905..

Application filed September 20,1904. $crial No. 225,216.

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Be it known that 1, Fa nDRIo H. ENsIcN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Car-Signal, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates particularly to a signal carried by a car, which signal is displayed or retired according to the speed of the car, the control of the signal being accomplished, preferably, by the same lever or other device with which the speed of the car is controlled.

The signal may comprise a target or semaphore with a light in combination therewith, or it may comprise the light alone or the target alone. Thetarget may be operated by compressed air, and the operating mechanism therefor may be connected in the airbrake system of the car, or the target may be operated electrically, the operating mechanism therefor being connected in the electric brake system of the car, or the target may be operated purely mechanically, the operating mechanism therefor being connected with the ordinary mechanical brake mechanism of the car. The light may be derived from an electric lamp in circuit with the car-lighting systerm, there being a controlling-switch for cutting the lamp in or out of the system, which switch may be controlled by the target-operating mechanisn'i, orthe lamp may be a gaslamp, the valve of which may be controlled by the mechanism which operates the target, and the spark for producing the flame may be produced by a local circuit, the switch of which is controlled by the mechanism which operates the target.

The object of the invention is to provide a signal, displayed in a conspicuous place on the car, which may be operated whenever the speed of the car varies-for instance, when the car is slowed up by applying the brakes-- so that the operator on a car following will see by the condition of the signal on the car ahead whether the car ahead is traveling fast, is slowing up, has stopped, or is starting up. The device is at'iapted for electric roads or steam-roads and could also be applied to ships, and might well be adapted for automobiles or other vehicles.

lhi many electric systems cars are run at very high speeds and under very-close-interval schedules, and accidents are of very frequent occurrence in such systems, the main cause being the inability of the motor-man on a rear car to know whether the car ahead of him is traveling fast or slow or has stopped, and being strictly accountable for the time he makes the motorman on the rear car is apt to run great risks in driving his car to the limit. \Vith these conditions the present device is of great value, as considering any two cars the motorman on the rear car is enabled to decrease thespeed of his car whenever the speed of the car ahead of him is decreased, so that he may always maintain a safe distance between the two cars. lonversely, if the motorman on the rear car is inclined to err on the side of safety his running time may be increased, for the reason that when the car ahead of him is running fast he is apprised of the fact and can push his car accordingly, while without the device an overcautious motorman on a rear car might run his car slower than necessary if he thought the car ahead of him was running slowly. Further,the progress of the head car is also facilitated, as the motorman on that car may speed up or slow down, according to the conditions ahead of him, with full assurance that a car back of him will be warned of his actions. \Vithout this device the motoru'ian of the head car would have to consider conditions both ahead of and behind his car, and he might therefore in some instances run faster than he otherwise would, feeling that if he slowed down the car back of him might suffer; but with the employment of this device the motorman on any car need be concerned only with the conditions ahead of him on the track. The device is also adapted for signalil'ig codemessages when cars are running or standing still, the target being adapted for use in the day-time on clear days, the light alone or in conjunction with the target being used at night or during time of fog.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of the character described which is simple and economical of construction,compact and durable in use, and adapted to be readily applied to cars of any type without alteration of theexisting equipment of the car.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric car equipped with the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail of the pipe connections with the air-brake system. .liig. 3 is a diagram of the wiring adjacent one ap- 'iaratus. Fig. iis a side elevation of the signaling device, the left portion of the figure being shown in mid-section. Fig. 5 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1 with the target removed and its shaft shown in section with the lamp and its standard removed and part of the cylinder being shown in section and with the cover removed. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a car, showing the signaling device in combination with the ordinary hand-brake. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a car, showing the device used in connection with the electric brake. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the general wiring system, not showing wiring details at the target. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing a gas-lamp operated in conjunction with the target.

The device is preferably operated by compressed air, being connected in the air-brake system, and one form in which the signaling device may be constructed is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which 1 designates a board or other support upon which is mounted a base 2, having a cylinder 3. One end of the cylinder 3 is contracted, forming a pocket 1. The cylinder 3 is provided with a head 5, the lower part of which rests upon the board 1, while an air-inlet pipe 6 is screwed to the head. A piston 7 is mounted within the cylinder 3 and carries a piston-rod 8, there being a coil compression spring 9 inter posed between the piston 7 and the end of the cylinder. The piston-rod 8 has a flattened shank 10, which passes througha fork 11, the members of which are provided with slots 12, while a pin 13, whicliis driven tightly in the shank 10, lies within the slots 12. The base 2 is provided with bearings let, in which is journaled a vertical target-shaft 15, the fork 11 being rigidly mounted on the target-shaft 15. Carried by the target-shaft 15 is a target 16, which may be of any desired size and shape. In the present embodiment it is circular in form, transparent or translucent, and colored. hen the piston T is at thehead end of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, the plane of the target 16 is parallel with the piston-rod 8,while when the piston is moved to the other end of its stroke the fork 11 is moved through an angle of ninety degrees, and the plane of the target 16 then stands transversely of the piston-rod 8. A standard 17, having a slotted foot 18, is adjustably attached to the cylinder 3 by a cap-screw 19, and carried by the standard 17 is a lamp-casing 20, having a lug 21 adjusted to slide on the upper end of the standard 17, being adjustably held in position by a set-screw 22. An electric lamp 23 is carried within the casing20, and a suitable lens 21 is provided for the-lamp 23. The standard 17 is so adjusted as to allow the target 16 to clear the base of the lens when it is turned in the position shown in Fig. at, and the vertical adjustment of the lamp allowed by means of the screw 22 is such that the lamp is substantially concentric with the target. The proper focusing of the lamp upon the target is secured by adjusting the standard 17 toward or from the target. The end of the piston-rod 8 carries a switch-plug comprising a copper ring 25 and a carbon ring 26. which are mounted on a stepped sleeve 27, of fiber or non-conducting material, the latter being mounted on the contracted end of the piston-rod and being retained in position by a fiber plate 28 and a retaining-nut 29. The base 2 supports stationary switch-terminals comprising a pair of spring contact-blades 30, which are provided with binding-screws 31.

A cover 32 incloses the entire mechanism above described excepting the target and lamp, which lie above the cover, and the cover may be fastened to the board 1 by suitable fastening devices 33. Agasket 34 is provided in the top of the cover to prevent moisture from working into the cover along the targetshat't 15. i

A device as above described is carried on each end of the car, the devices being preferably arranged on the roof of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, although they could be mounted on the dashboard or body of the car. The pipe 6 of one device extends down and communicates with the dead-air pipe 35, which extends t'rom the brake-cylinder 36 to one controlling-valve 37', while the other pipe 6 of the other device extends down. and connects with a similar pipe 35, which latter pipe connects the brake-cylinder 36 with the other controlling-valve 3T. Pipes 6 and 6 are provided with suitable valves 6" and 6 for cutting out either of the signaling devices from operation. A live-air pipe 38 extends from the valve 37 to the air-reservoir 39. 10 designates the exhaust-pipe for the valve 37. A live-air pipe 38 connects the air-reservoir 39 with the air-valve 37 A pipe tl connects the liveair pipe 38 with the pipe 6 and is provided with a three-way valve 42 with an exhaustpipe 00. The pipes 6 and 6 each have a checkvalve 71, which allows upward passage of air through the pipe, but which prevents downward passage of air therethrough.

Fig. 3 shows the detail wiring of each signaling device. One of the terminals 30 is connected by a wire with one of the main leads 51. The other terminal 30 is connected by a wire 52 with one terminal of the lamp 23. The other terminal of the lamp 23 is connected by a wire 53 with the other main lead 5 1, the resistance-lamps 55 being connected to the wire 53 and a pilot-lamp 56 being also connected to the same wire. This pilot-lan1p 56 is located on the car at a point where it may be easily observed by the motorman driving that car, and by its condition he can tell whether the signaling device is working, as when the target 16 is turned the switch-plug closes the circuit and causes the pilot-lamp 56 to glow, while if when the motorman turns on his air the pilot-lamp 56 does not burn he may know that something is the matter with the signaling device. This pilot-lamp is also l tween the terminals 30, thereby closing the useful in the same capacity when transmitting code-signals.

Fig. 8 shows the manner of connecting the two signaling devices in such a way that a single switch will serve to place them in the proper relative condition for operation. In this view the details of wiring at the target are not shown, those details having been given in Fig. 3 and descriljmd in connection therewith. Wire 51 from the target device coir nects with the pilot-lamp 56. Wire 57 connects pilot-lamp 56 with one terminal of a double-throw switch 58, while wire 59 connects the target with the other of the same set of terminals for the switch 58. A target B is connected by a wire 54: with the pilot-lamp 56", wire 60 connecting pilot-lamp 56" with one terminal of the other set of the doublethrow switch 58, while a wire 61 connects the target B with the other terminal of the d oublethrow switch 58. Main wires 62 and 63 are connected to the two poles of the double-throw switch 58. The target A is located at the rear end of the car, while the target B is located at the front end of the car. Pilot-lamp 56 .is located at the front end of the car, and the pi-- lot-lamp 56" is located at the rear end of the car. Thus when the car is traveling in the direction indicated in Fig. 1 the switch 58 will be thrown to close the circuit through the target A and pilot-lamp 56. Thus when the signaling device having the target A is actuated at the rear of the ear the pilot-lamp 56 at the front end is caused to glow. If the car is traveling in the opposite direction, so that the target A is at the front end ofthe car and the target B at the rear end of the car, the switch 58 is thrown to close the circuit from target B, whereupon when the speed of the car is checked and the target device is operated the pilot-lam p 56" is caused to glow. When the car is in operation and traveling to the left in the direction indicated in Fig. 1, the valve 6 should be closed and the valve 6" should be open. The switch 58 will bein the position shown in Fig. 8, placing the circuit through the lamp-switch of target A. The valves 42, which are associated, respectively, with the valves 37 and 37, are closed, preventing air from entering the pipes 6 and 6 from the pipes il and preventing air from escaping from the pipes 38 L1 and exhaustpipes When the i'notorman throws the valve 37, it admits air to the pipe 35, which conveys it to the brake-cylinder 36 to apply the brakes, and also admits air to the pipe 35, so that air is admitted through the pipe (3 (the valve 6 being open) to the cylinder 3 of signaling device A, whereupon the piston 7 is moved to the other end of the cylinder, compressing the spring 9 and through the medium of the fork 11 and shaft 15 turning the target 16 parallel to the lens of the lamp, and at the same time the switch-plug is forced belowing.

circuit from the lamp 23, which is thus caused to burn, and its light is focused upon the target .16, thus illuminating the latter, and the target .16 being transparent its condition is readily seen by the operator of the car fol- As the piston 7 moves to the right it will compress the air contained within the cylinder 3 into the pocket t, which, together with the spring E). will-soften the blow of the piston, which otherwise might jam against the shoulder formed in the cylinder at the mouth of the pocket 4;. l l themotorman then turns the valve 37, the pressure is at once relieved within the cylinder 3 and the spring 9 forces the piston back, thereby retracting the pistonrod 8 and turning the target 16 into its original position and moving the switch-plug away from the terminals 30, thereby turning oil" the lamp 23. The carbon 26 prevents arcing between the terminals and the switch-plug when the latter breaks from the switch-blades. If it is desired to signal by code, the switch 70 is closed, thereby causing the lamp 23 to burn continuously. \Vhen doing code-signaling, it is advantageous to work the target device without setting the brakes, and this may be done by operating the three-way valve 412. By turning the valve 452 to admit air to the pipe 6 directly from the pipe 38 the target device is operated, this air being prevented from passing down to the brake by the cheek-valve 71. By turning the valve 42 to shut oil the air-supply from pipe 38 and allow air from the pipe 6 to escape through the exhaust-pipe :1 the pressure within the cylinder 3 is relieved and the target is thereby restored. Thus by manipulating the valve 42, associated with either target, signals may be flashed by code without the brakes being operated.

Fig. 6 shows another manner of operating the target, in which 75 designates a target which is slidable vertically in a casing 76, the casing 76 having openings 77, through which the target may be seen when it is moved into register therewith. A. cord 78 is attached to the bottom of the target 75 and passes over a sheave 79 and thence to a pivoted brake-lever 80, which lever is connected with the brakes for operating the same, while the lever 80 is actuated by means of a chain 81, which is wound upon a brake-rod 82 when the latter is turned by the operator. An extension-spring 33 is connected to the top of the target 75 and tends to pull the same upwardly into register with the opening 77. When the brake-handle 8-1 is turned to rotate the rod 82 and wind up the chain 81, the lever 80 is actuated to draw the ln'ake-rods and apply the brakes, and as the lever 80 is actuated it slackens up the cord 78, which allows the spring (3 to draw the target 75 up into register with the opening 77, thus displaying the same. As soon as the brakes are released the lever 80, as it returns to its normal position, pulls upon the cord 78 and draws down the target out of sight and stretches the spring 83.

Fig. 7 illustrates the target device worked electrically. The construction is similar to that shown and described in Figs. A and 5, except that instead of the air-cylinder 3 a solenoid is employed for operating the piston-rod, the latter serving as the armature. ires 91 and 92 (shown in dotted lines) connect the brake-operating solenoid 93 with the target-solenoid 90. Thus when the current is admitted to the solenoid 93- to operate the brakes the solenoid 90 is simultaneously energized, which operates the target. The lamp may be connected in the circuit in any desired way.

Fig. 9 shows a gas-lamp instead of an electric lamp. designates the lamp to which gas is admitted through a valve 101, the valve 101 being cont-rolled by the movement of the piston-rod 8 and being connected therewith by a link 102, which is connected to a standard 103, carried by the piston-rod. A local circuit including a battery 104: and wires 105 and 106 is connected with the igniting device of the lamp 100, and the terminals of this local circuit may be closed by a circuit-closer 107, carried by the link 102. Thus when the piston-rod 8 moves outward the valve 101 is opened, which admits gas to the lamp, and at the same time the local circuit is closed by the circuit-closer 107, which produces the arc to ignite the gas for the lamp. As this form of lamp is well known, detail description of its constructionand operation is unnecessary.

Vhat I claim is 1. A signal embracing a movable target and lamp, means for adjusting the lamp vertically with respect to the target, means for operating the target and lamp, car-controlling means, and a device for controlling both said means.

2. A signal on a car comprising a movable target and a lamp, means for adjusting the lamp toward and from the target, means for operating the target and lamp, car-controlling means, and a device for controlling both said means.

3. A signal on a car, car-controlling means, a single means for operating the signal and the car-controlling means, and means for op erating the signal without operating the carcontrolling means. I

4. A signal on a car, brakes for the car, a single means for operating the signal and brakes, and means for operating the signal independently of the brakes.

5. A signal on a car, brakes for the car, fluidpressure means for operating the brakes, fluidpressure means for operating the signal, a valve, a pipe from the valve to one of said fiuid-pressure means, and a branch from said pipe to the other fluid-pressure means.

6. A signal on a car, brakes for the car, fluidpressure means for operating the brakes, fluidpressure means for operating the signal, and means for admitting compressed fluid simul taneously to both said means.

'7. A signal on a car comprising a lamp and a target, an electric circuit through the lamp, means included by the circuit for operating the lamp, fluid-pressure means for operating the target and for controlling said circuit, brakes for the car, and means for controlling said brakes and said fluid-pressure means.

8. A signal on a car comprising a lamp and a target, an electric circuit through the lamp, means included by the circuit for operating the lamp, fluid-pressure means for operating the target and controlling the said circuit, brakes for the car, fluid-pressure means for operating the brakes, and means for controlling both said fluid-pressure means.

9. Signals on both ends of a car, means for controlling the speed of the car, means for operating the signals, and a device on one end of the car for controlling the speed-controlling means and for controlling the signal on the opposite end of the car, and a device on one end of the car for operating the signal on the opposite end of the car without operating the speed-controlling means.

10. A signal on a car, car-controlling means, signal-controlling means, a pilot-lamp, a circuit including the signal and pilot-lamp, and a device for controlling the car-controlling means and signal-controlling means and for controlling said circuit.

11. A signal on one end of a car, car-controlling means, signal-controlling means, pilot-lamps on both ends of the car, a circuit including the pilot-lamp on one end with the signal on the other end, another circuit including the other signal and other pilot-lamp, means for rendering either of said circuits operative, a device for controlling both said first means, and means associated with a signal for controlling the operative circuit.

12. A base, a cylinder thereon, a piston for operating the target in the cylinder, a pivoted target, a connection from the target to the piston, a lamp positioned to illumine the target, a circuit through the lamp, terminals for the circuit, and a circuit-closer connected with the piston, and adapted to be moved thereby into contact with said terminals to close said circuit.

13. A base, a cylinder thereon, a piston in the cylinder, a spring in the cylinder for operating the piston in one direction, a targetshaft mounted in suitable hearings on the base, a target on the shaft, and means connecting the piston with the target-shaft for operating the target when the piston operates.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this lath day of September, i.

FREDRIC H. ENSIGN.

In presence of GEORGE T. HAGKLEY, ANNA M. HOLLY. 

